ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP CORPORATE VIDEO

Adventure for Women of Power

Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp would like to thank Amelia Flood from the Kane County Chronicle READ THE STORY HERE cut and paste http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2007/07/25/news/local/doc46a6c5386eaaa104265048.txt

The Kane County Chronicle and The Republican to visit Farmington on the Fox BootCamp

Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp would like to welcome Amelia Flood from The Kane County Chronicle and Danya Hooker from The Republican to our camp on Friday July 20th.
It also measurement day yeah!

Great job everyone today and thank you Jenny for your visit.

Merlin

Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp see what it is all about at: www.FVBootCamp.com/

Trainer Throws Fitness Parties

Read full story cut and paste http://www.dailyherald.com/search/searchstory.asp?id=331163

The Daily Hearld Comes to Camp

Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp would like to welcome Josh Stockinger of the Daily Herald. Mr Stockinger will visiting Friday July 6th at the Farmington on the Fox Camp.

Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp Starting Moms and Dads with New Babies Boot Camp

Starting Soon for the first time in Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp to start a Mom and Babies Boot Camp. This is for Moms or Dads with babies.

“Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp” Stroller Fitness Class provides mothers and fathers the opportunity to exercise while interacting and bonding with their children. This is an incredible resource for new and pregnant moms and dads too, who sometimes feel isolated in their homes during this new stage of their life. Besides providing a great workout, group exercise has been proven to decrease risk of postpartum depression.
Participants also get an individualized exercise program at a fraction of the cost of a babysitter or a one-on-one personal training session. In addition, with the incidence of childhood obesity skyrocketing to epidemic proportions, “Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp” Stroller Fitness Class provides and excellent opportunity for adults to serve as active role models to children.
“Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp” Stroller Fitness Class are 55 minutes long, and include cardio and strength training components; babies are pushed in strollers for the cardiovascular segment; during the strength training, moms use rubber tubing or their baby as resistance.

In addition to obvious health benefits of exercising, stroller fitness classes also provide a social network where moms can find play dates for their babies, and perhaps even a new friend or two for themselves!
Classes will be instructed by ,Merlin Hahn a 15 year trainer who has 3 daughters, and one son who is 3 years old. Merlin is a expert in in prenatal and postpartum exercise, amongst other group fitness certifications. Moms and dads will be exercising with other women and new dads who have just had babies, and all exercises have been modified to be safe for moms and their child(ren).
Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp was founded in 2007 by Merlin Hahn. With professional background in Fitness (personal training, nutrition, and group exercise), Merlin a father saw first hand the need for an exercise class that focused solely on new mothers and new fathers. “Stroller fitness class will offer the chance for moms and dads to do something great for themselves in a non-intimidating environment, while getting some fresh air, meeting new friends, and bonding with their babies all at the same time.”

Visit Merlin today at www.FVBootCamp.com/
“Love Your Baby!”
“Love Your Body!”
Merlin Hahn

Fitness Secret #1 For your Age

Age-Proof Your Body (Part I): 5 Proven Ways to Look and Feel Younger and Healthier with Fitness and Nutrition
By Merlin Hahn
Fitness: Secret #1 For Your Age-Proof Body

It is a medically proven fact that how you age is a choice - a lifestyle choice. In this, the first part of a special 5-part mini-series on the impact of diet and exercise on healthy aging, you will begin to understand the connection between lifestyle habits and the aging process.

The Amazing Human Machine

Your body has an amazing capacity to restore and regenerate new healthy living cells when given the right opportunity. But what building blocks will you use in the coming years to ensure that you are rebuilding your body for optimal health and wellness? By understanding and faithfully applying the 5 Age-Proofing Fitness & Nutrition Secrets outlined in this series, you have the power to finally put the brakes on premature aging once and for all!

5 Proven Ways to Look and Feel Younger and Healthier


Get Fundamental With Fitness
Nourish Your Genes With Supportive Nutrition
Stress Less For Hormonal Harmony
Make Sense Of Supplementation
Personalize Your Plan And Take Action

There Is No Magic Bullet

I'm always asked the question: what's the "one thing" I should do to get the most dramatic results? And my answer is always the same. The one thing you should do before you do anything else is accept the fact that there no "one thing", no "magic bullet", no single step that will catapult your results and make you look 21 years old again. Instead, I encourage my clients to understand and adopt a vitally important concept that I personally refer to as Synergy.

Synergy simply refers to the interdependent relationship between all 5 of the components outlined above. THERE IS NO MAGIC FORMULA! You have to use the principles I outline in this series in conjunction with one another - or else the results will always disappoint.

Given its power, Synergy is something you must understand and put into practice on a daily basis. You have to find a way to strike the balance between all 5 elements of the SYNERGY - Exercise, Nutrition, Stress Management, Supplementation, and Personal Coaching - when these 5 elements are working in perfect balance with one another, there's an internal harmony that's created that will help you achieve the dramatic results you're after.

Let's begin by exploring each of the 5 secrets one at a time:

PART 1: Get Fundamental With Fitness

The most practical starting point to look and feel younger and healthier is to begin with a complete fitness program designed for your unique metabolism, body type and personal goals. But where do you start? Like most people, you've probably tried diet and exercise before with little or no results. You put in the effort, the time, and probably some money too but nothing happened, right?

3 Fundamental Keys To Fitness Success

The reason you may have fallen short of reaching your fitness goals in the past is because you failed to strike the balance between all 3 of the key elements of a successful fitness program:


Progressive Resistance Training
Smart Cardio Training
Dynamic Flexibility Training

If even one of these 3 key elements is neglected, performed incorrectly, or even overdone, the results will be less than optimal. Imagine driving a car with one wheel out of alignment. It's going to make it very difficult getting from point A to point B. The same is true of your fitness program. All components of your fitness program must be working together in a synergistic manner to maximize results.

Let's look at each fundamental component individually as it relates to age-proofing your body.

Age-Proofing Exercise Habit #1: Progressive Resistance Training

The benefits of resistance training for overall health are clearly documented. But did you know that a targeted resistance-training program can actually have a dramatic impact on the way you age? Resistance training builds strength, boosts metabolism, prevents bone loss, and helps to regulate key age-proofing hormones such as insulin, glucagon, cortisol, and human growth hormone (HGH) in a positive way.

Guidelines for your Age-Proofing Resistance Training Program:


Perform resistance training 2-4x per week for 20-45 minutes.
Perform exercises appropriate for your current fitness level and weight training experience
Be careful not to over-train your body, which is usually accompanied by excessive post-workout soreness, decreased physical performance, reduced appetite, frequent illness, constipation or diarrhea, and a lack of desire to exercise.
Be sure to breathe fluidly as you perform the exercise, not holding your breath at any time.
Seek the help of a qualified fitness professional who can create and modify a custom fitness program for your unique metabolism, body type, and personal goals.

Age-Proofing Exercise Habit #2: Smart Cardio

In addition to increasing heart and lung capacity, cardiovascular exercise (aka aerobics) has the power to begin releasing anti-aging hormones and neurotransmitters that will contribute to a reduction in the symptoms of premature aging.

Guidelines for your Age-Proofing Cardio Training Program


Perform cardio training daily or almost daily for 20-30 minutes each session by walking, jogging, cycling, rollerblading, swimming, or using a cardio machine such as a treadmill or elliptical trainer.
Always begin your session with 5 minutes of progressive warm up, increasing the body's temperature and heart rate, prior to engaging in regular intensity. Finish your session with 3-5 minutes of gradual cool down.
Use the "Talk Test" to determine the correct intensity - this simply means you are working out hard enough that you can hear/feel yourself breathing, but not so intense that you can't still maintain a conversation with the person next to you.

Age-Proofing Exercise Habit #3: Dynamic Flexibility Training

A head-to-toe flexibility program that mobilizes the muscles and joints of the body can serve to improve range of motion and balance, reduce risk of injury, and possible even relieve symptoms of pain. These benefits will make the other components of your fitness program (resistance training and cardio) more enjoyable.

Guidelines of your Age-Proofing Flexibility Training Program


Always warm up the body prior to stretching any muscles/joints by performing a cardio-based activity that will elevate the body's core temperature. Warm up activities might include a brisk walk, jogging, calisthenics, or using a cardio machine such as a treadmill or elliptical trainer.
Continue to breath while you stretch, not holding your breath. Holding your breath only creates more tension in the muscles and joints of the body.
Don't overdo it with stretching. Your goal is not to be a contortionist! Simply aim to maintain a full range of motion in all major joints so that you can comfortably perform your fitness-related activities as well as other daily activities.

Conclusion:

A strong, lean, injury-free body is key to staying healthy for the rest of your life and putting the brakes on premature aging. I can't think of a better way to age-proof your body than with an exercise program that strikes the right balance between progressive resistance training, smart cardio, and a dynamic flexibility program.


About the Author:
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Merlin Hahn is a fitness & nutrition expert in West Chicago, IL who specializes in Boot Camps and creating custom programs designed for your unique metabolism, body type and personal goals. Visit Merlin today at www.FVBootCamp.com/

Weight training is far superior for burning Fat

Weight training is far superior for burning
body fat and elevating metabolic rate
post-exercise than any other exercise.

If ever you wanted to start training with weights,
or if you have been doing endless cardio with
no results, this article is for you.

Note: I cover exactly how to make weight
training simple and time-efficient in Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp see what it is all about at: www.FVBootCamp.com/

------------------------------------------------
The Study
------------------------------------------------

A body mass study conducted by The Human
Performance Laboratory at The University of
Wisconsin demonstrated that weight training
of a specific variety and rep scheme elevated
metabolic rates (measured though VO2 max)
for thirty-nine hours.

That means you would be burning more bodyfat
even when you are asleep at night. Pretty cool,
isn't it?

In comparison, the average forty-minute cardio
session elevates the metabolism for only a few
hours post-exercise.

That is thirty-nine full hours of being able to
consume more food without gaining bodyfat,
all things being equal.

For the record, no other form of exercise comes
close to doing that in as short a period of time
as targeted weight and/or resistance training.

This degree of post-exercise calorie burn is
close to the levels seen in marathoners.

This is nothing new to avid weight-trainers,
but it may be news to a lot of you. This is
especially enlightening if you have a fear
becoming muscle-bound if you venture into
the weight-room area of your gym.

------------------------------------------------
The Specifics
------------------------------------------------

The study focused on repetitions and exercises.
Certain protocols delivered the greatest results
when it came to post-exercise calorie burn.

True elevation of metabolic rate did not occur if
weights were too heavy, involving exercises that
were done for less than six repetitions.

Even more illuminating is the fact that metabolic
elevation was not significant if the weights were
too light. This was defined as any exercise that
took over twelve repetitions to complete.

The thirty-nine hour elevation in metabolic
response was caused by a workout which
stimulated the larger muscles. This involved
compound weight-training movements such
as squats, rows, bench presses, and curls.

The ideal way to do this is not with machines,
Pilates, or baby dumbbells, but with free
weights. Exercises should be targeted in the
eight to twelve repetition range for maximum
fat-burning metabolic effect.

Similar studies revealed a twelve-hour increase
in metabolic rate using a program of about eight
exercises, four sets each, and using eight to
twelve reps taken to momentary completion.

This is hardly a marathon workout!

The nutrient calculation for post-workout recovery
was determined to be significant, especially in
comparison with more moderate forms of exercise.

This means more food is required to repair the
body, and the metabolism once again is elevated.

The body mass study did not address the metabolic
spike with proper post-workout nutrition, however
frequent feedings that are sufficient in protein and
moderate in carbs have clearly demonstrated a
significant metabolic increase.

------------------------------------------------
The Application
------------------------------------------------

Heavy weights for lower repetitions is not an ideal
strategy for post-exercise caloric burn. This would
factor into the reasons why powerlifters develop
strength but very little definition.

The "lighter weights, higher repetition" strategy,
and its failure to produce results, is probably more
important to most of us who want to use weights to
sculpt our physique.

Lighter weights for higher reps is not an effective
strategy for fatburning. Yet this is the protocol that
many trainers use for individuals wanting to
quote-unquote "tone" their muscles.

This is also the preferred strategy for many female
weight trainees who have been told that heavier
weights would build too much muscle.

The post-exercise caloric burn is what really pays
the dividends when it comes to fatburning.

Exercise by itself burns only a marginal amount of
calories during the session itself. When used in
conjunction with a smart mealplan, this can be a
very powerful fatburning tool.

However, bear in mind that even an intense
workout, one that may burn five hundred calories
or more, can be offset by a single modest-calorie
meal.

------------------------------------------------
The Conclusion
------------------------------------------------

The bottom line is weight training rules when it
comes to sculpting the body and earning the
greatest post-exercise dividends.

Like a good investment, a brief but targeted weight
training routine conducted just two or three times
per week can produce rewards that are both
short-term and exponentially powerful.

When combined with a fat-burning nutrition plan
and stress-reducing exercise (such as yoga,
walking, or Adventure Boot Camp), the rewards are greater still check out
Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp at: www.FVBootCamp.com/

Getting and Staying Motivated

A message from Personal Fitness Lifestyle coach Merlin Hahn



With the power of the movie “The Secret”
And “The Law of Attraction” comes

Getting and Staying Motivated!!
How to get juiced up to achieve anything that you desire.



Have a great day , everything is possible!
Merlin Hahn B.S.NSCA-CPT/NESTA-OFT
1 to 1 Fitness

Phone: 630-443-8232
Cell:630-640-0467

www.FVBootCamp.com/
******************************************
1 to 1 Fitness Inc



Table of Contents


Introduction 3
How to get juiced up about life – what must you do? 4
Finding Something To Get You Up Early And Keep You Up Late 9
Stop Procrastinating – How To Take Action 13
Take Control of Your Life 25
What Do You Want To Be In Life? 26
How To Live the Life You Want – It’s All Down To Your Mind! 26

Introduction

The Law of Attraction is commonly associated with New Age and New Thought theories. It states people experience the corresponding manifestations of their predominant thoughts, feelings, words, and actions and that people therefore have direct control over reality and their lives through thought alone. A person's thoughts (conscious and unconscious), emotions, beliefs and actions are said to attract corresponding positive and negative experiences "through the resonance of their energetic vibration."The "law of attraction" states "you get what you think about; your thoughts determine your destiny."Many proponents of the idea claim that with practice a person can use the law of attraction to change their lives. However, the idea has received intense criticism from multiple circles in the media, the scientific community, and even other areas of the New Age movement.


“Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.”
- Abraham Lincoln
This must be a quote you have heard a hundred times before. There is of course a kind of simplicity in the way these nine words convey a simple message – don’t put things off for later.
Are you one of those people who always put off things for later? Have there been times when you felt you lack the confidence and skill required to do a certain task? Well, you are not alone. This is a problem that almost everyone goes through at least sometime in their life.
“Get Motivated” is a 6 part course designed to motivate you in areas where you feel you fall short, and instill in you the confidence and self-belief to prevent you from putting off things for later.
Following this course, you will be brimming with confidence to do anything that is required of you. You will be poised to succeed wherever you face competition.
Motivation will provide that inner drive you need to achieve what you aim for. So look no further! Step into the world of confidence-building and see your dreams turn into reality.



How to get juiced up about life – what must you do?

The next 6 modules will tell you what exactly motivation is and how it can be brought into your life to help you perform better.

So, ready to GET MOTIVATED??

First of all I want you to do two things.

One: Write in the box you see below how you would define motivation. It is a common word we all use in daily life. How many of us have actually paused and thought what it really means?

Please write in the box below whatever you feel motivation is.

Two: Having defined motivation, write in the next box how you feel when you are motivated,, based on your definition.

Jot down in it such things as how you feel, what you think, and how you act when motivated. Additionally, give one or two examples of occasions when you have been motivated by someone or something.
Done that?

Okay! Now let us see how the dictionary defines the word ‘motivate’. Here it goes:

1. to be the motive of something or someone
2. to cause or stimulate (a person) to act, to be the underlying cause of (an action)
• He is motivated to work hard by the chances of earning a promotion.

Do you want the rest of this course sign up for Boot camp and join us.1. to be the motive of something or someone
2. to cause or stimulate (a person) to act, to be the underlying cause of (an action)

Other helpful information can be found at: www.FVBootCamp.com/

Meetup Day

Don't forget this Wednesday June 6th is Adventure boot camp Meet up day. All your friends husbands, Sons ,Daughters to our 730 PM class.

Click here to check out
The Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp for Women!

Bedtime Blues

Here Are Some Suggestions

It's 3 a.m. You're scheduled to give a big presentation at eleven, only eight hours away. You desperately need to sleep so you will be rested and alert when your big moment comes, but here you are staring wide eyed at the bedroom ceiling. Your mind is agitated and your body won't relax. The harder you work at getting to sleep, the wider awake you are. You've already tried counting sheep, watching the late show, and making yourself a snack-all to no avail. In desperation you reach for a sleeping pill.

This is a common scenario in the North America, where approximately one third of all adults suffer from some type of sleep disorder. Insomnia, the most common type by far, is clinically defined as the inability to fall asleep after lying in bed for thirty minutes or the inability to sustain sleep for more than a few hours without waking. Practically speaking, however, insomnia can be defined as unrestful sleep.

We've all experienced some form of insomnia at particularly stressful times in our lives. It's normal to have trouble sleeping at these times, and it usually passes after a night or two. Insomnia is a problem only when it becomes chronic. Although it is associated with certain physical illnesses-arthritis, heart failure, and chronic lung disease, for example-most experts agree that insomnia is a symptom, not an illness in itself. So what is it a symptom of? There are two answers-the ancient and the modern. At first glance they seem completely different, but a closer look reveals some remarkable similarities.

An Ancient Angle on a Modern Malady

Ayurveda, the healing science associated with yoga, tells us that all disease is caused by indigestion. That is, at some level-either physical, mental, or emotional-we haven't completed extracting what is helpful and eliminating what is indigestible. This is one of the keys to understanding insomnia.

On the physical level, indigestion is caused either by bad food or by weak digestion and leads to conditions like heartburn (a contributor to insomnia), flatulence, and diarrhea. Mental indigestion is the inability to let go of a certain incident or thought-usually an unpleasant experience. This can be a distant tragedy like the earthquake in Kobe, Japan, criticism from someone whose opinion we value, or a work-related problem we're trying to solve. Emotional indigestion is the recurrence of a feeling, often sadness or anger, long after the precipitating event. The emotion has not been sufficiently digested and remains just under the surface, springing up for no apparent reason. Mental and emotional indigestion are the most common causes of insomnia. Some of us even grind our teeth while we sleep in an attempt to chew and digest recurring thoughts and emotions.

The Contemporary Angle

Modern explanations for insomnia range from overstimulation and stress to mucking up our waking-sleeping cycle. Stimulants include caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, and some sodas), and sugar, as well as activities such as aerobic exercise, arguing, and watching violent TV shows (or the evening news, for that matter). All these taken (or experienced) too close to bedtime can rev us up so much that it is difficult to fall asleep. This is only another way of saying we are still attempting to digest these substances or events at the same time we are courting sleep.

Stress is another form of indigestion. Most of my patients who suffer from insomnia tell me, "My worries keep me awake," or "My mind won't stop. I don't know how to turn it off." Anxiety, worry, depression, unpleasant memories, and fears are the most common cause of sleeplessness. They seem to take on a life of their own and are determined to stay awake, even though it's way past bedtime.

The third common cause of insomnia, one which has become prevalent only in modern times, is tampering with the normal cycle of sleeping and waking. This is a mechanical problem of sorts. Human beings have a normal sleep rhythm; in general, we are designed to be awake in daylight and asleep at night. People who work the night shift, or travelers who have recently crossed several time zones, may experience insomnia simply because they are trying to sleep when their internal clock is telling their body to be awake.

Our bodies are designed for sleep to come effortlessly. When it doesn't, when we're holding on to the day's stresses and reaching out for tomorrow's too, there are a number of ways of inducing the body and mind to let go and slip gently into a restful sleep.

Create an Environment that Will Help You Sleep

Your bedroom should be tranquil and inviting. Make it comfortable and conducive to sleep. Eliminate ambient light and any noise that could disturb your sleep. If possible, reserve the bedroom for sleep and sex. Conduct other activities-reading work-related material, watching TV, paying bills, and disciplining your children-in another room. In time, this will create the expectation in your body that the bedroom is where it goes to relax and rest.

End the Day with a Calming Routine

Go to bed about the same time every night. Create a routine that prepares you for sleep. You may already have some kind of program you follow before you go to bed-locking the house, brushing your teeth, maybe reading a little. A pre-bed routine is a way of telling your unconscious that it's time to sleep.

Make sure that this routine is relaxing, not stimulating-winding down before bedtime increases the likelihood that your mind will let you rest. If you find the news disturbing, skip the late broadcast. If you live in a safe neighborhood, take a leisurely stroll. Read something pleasant and soothing-save the suspense novel for earlier in the day. Take a hot bath. Sit for a period of meditation. The trick is to calm your mind and quiet your nerves before you get into bed.

And speaking of routines, getting up at the same time every morning will make it easier to fall asleep at night. Attempting to compensate for a night of disturbed sleep by staying in bed longer in the morning will simply further disrupt your sleep cycle. Get up on time, even if you don't feel like you've had enough rest-you'll have a much better chance of falling asleep easily when bedtime rolls around again.

Do a Relaxation Exercise

Taking a few minutes to do a short relaxation exercise just before getting into bed is an excellent way of letting go. This doesn't have to be elaborate. Great benefits can be gained by simply lying on your back in the corpse pose (hands at your sides, palms upward, feet slightly apart). Close your eyes, and systematically address every part of your body. Start at your scalp and move toward your toes. Begin by softening your forehead, eyes, face, and jaw. Tensing and then releasing each muscle group help tight muscles loosen, especially those in the neck and shoulders. Continue giving attention to each area of your body-the arms, the trunk, and the legs-until you reach your toes. Surrender to gravity.

Stay in this relaxed state for a few minutes, letting the floor support you. Focus on your breathing, releasing all other concerns. Let your breath come from deep in your abdomen, and let it flow smoothly, slowly, and evenly. This simple exercise is a way of telling your mind and body that it is OK to stop thinking, working, and struggling.

Pay Attention to What You Ingest

It's best to eat a light meal in the evening, especially if you are dining late. You will sleep more deeply if you have finished digesting your food before you go to bed. A rich, heavy meal close to bedtime will interfere with your rest and leave you feeling sluggish in the morning.

Avoid caffeine, especially after midday. This includes coffee, tea, chocolate, and many sodas. Coffee has a half-life of four to six hours. That means it takes that long for half of the coffee to be digested, and another four to six hours for the next quarter of it to be eliminated from your body. In other words, it takes twelve to fourteen hours for 7/8 of the coffee you have ingested to be eliminated. No wonder you still feel wide awake at eleven when you had your last cup after dinner.

Sugar can also cause problems. Consider avoiding refined sugar in the evening because it is absorbed immediately into the bloodstream. That's why it gives you a burst of energy and sometimes makes you feel a little high. Eating sugar near bedtime can make you restless and jittery and can keep you from falling asleep. If you need a treat at bedtime, a glass of warm milk is your best bet.

Alcohol and tobacco taken near bedtime can also interfere with deep sleep. It's true that a nightcap will make you sleepy, but the sleep it induces is light, restless, and shot through with periods of wakefulness. Likewise, you may associate tobacco with relaxation, but it actually increases tension. Tobacco is a stimulant that makes the heart race and blood pressure rise. It's best avoided altogether, but if you choose to smoke, avoiding it in the hour or two before bedtime will make your sleep more restful.

Get Some Exercise

If we polled farmers or anyone else who does manual labor eight to ten hours a day, very few would report a problem with insomnia. But for most of us, hard work is reserved for the mental sphere, so we need to exercise our bodies if we're going to sleep well. Studies of athletes have shown that they do not require more (or less) sleep than sedentary folks, but their ratio of deep to light sleep is higher. Doing some form of aerobic exercise at least three times a week also increases this ratio. Just be sure to avoid strenuous exercise within several hours of bedtime-it can be stimulating. But if you exercise at any other time, you'll sleep better.

It's OK to do long, slow stretches near bedtime, however, for they will release muscular tension and prepare you for sleep. Focus on asanas that you find relaxing. Avoid intense backward bends, such as the wheel, as they may prove to be too invigorating at the end of the day.

Don't Drug Yourself to Sleep

According to a recent article in the Archives of Internal Medicine, approximately 20 million prescriptions are written each year for sleeping aids, a number dwarfed by the quantity of over-the-counter sleep medications sold annually. Although most of these drugs do induce sleep within ten to twenty minutes, they interfere with the deeper stages of sleep. And all of them impair functioning the next day in one way or another. They can be helpful for short-term insomnia resulting from a sudden stressful event, but even the mainstream medi-cal community agrees that sleep medications/sedatives are not helpful in resolving chronic sleep problems.

Experiment with Natural Remedies

Homeopathic remedies and herbs can help with insomnia. Homeopathic medicines are extremely dilute extracts from natural substances, so they don't have the rebound effects drugs do. They are considered to be non-toxic by the FDA, and many lowpotency remedies are sold over the counter. One of the best treatments for insomnia is homeopathic coffee, coffea cruda. Although coffee causes irritability and sleeplessness in physiologic doses, in homeopathic doses it can cure these states.

Valerian root, passionflower, and hops, taken before bedtime in either tablet or tea form, are other alternatives. These gentle, relaxing substances help your body rest, but they don't affect your central nervous system the way prescription sleep medicines do. Both homeopathic remedies and herbal preparations can be purchased at most healthfood stores or through a holistic physician.

Don't Panic!

Insomnia is a huge problem in this fast-paced, sugar and caffeine addicted country. But if we can first identify the habits we have that contribute to our sleeplessness and slowly change them, and at the same time add more relaxation and deep breathing to our pre-sleep routine, we will sleep better.

Above all, don't panic. Insomnia is not life-threatening, although many people respond to it with agitation or fear. The more anxious you make yourself about not sleeping, the more sleep will elude you. So turn the clock to the wall and drop the internal dialogue about what a horrible day you will have tomorrow if you don't get to sleep immediately. The key to sound sleep lies in surrendering, not in trying harder. Once you're in bed, focus on your breath and empty your mind. If you have a mantra, let your mind rest in it. Be kind to yourself. Remember, sleep cannot be forced, but it can be coaxed. It is waiting for you. Allow yourself to come to it, enter it, and let the world spin without you for a while.


Merlin

Fitness Lifestyle Coaching

Fox Valley Boot Camp The Adventure Boot camp In Fox Valley.Today we are in the age of achievement. We can accomplish our goals faster than at any other time in history with access to more information and opportunity than ever before. Even if you don’t currently identify yourself as an "achiever", you most likely are one because of the competitive demands facing all of us in our lives and in our businesses daily; keeping up means being an achiever.It is understandable, with this "survival of the fittest" type thing that’s going on these days that the problem is, how do you keep up with relentless demand and still thrive? Today, we are not thriving because of a paradox. It is the achievers paradox of, ‘the busier we get the less time we have to take care of ourselves’.It should be no secret that the top three reasons why people don’t take care of themselves at a high enough level and why they do not actually experience the health so many seek, are a lack of time, space and energy.We are simply too overwhelmed and exhausted. This is the real problem we need to deal with and the start of what you’ll soon come to know as the downward trend.To get off this downward trend of overwhelm and exhaustion, which leeds to the overweight condition, we need lifestyle strategies that deliver results as a natural consequence of how we live, not heroic or merely periodic efforts at dieting and exercise. Eating less and exercising more are nothing more than isolated solutions to obvious symptoms of a lifestyle gone awry.No one is overwhelmed, exhausted or overweight because of the lack of a diet or exercise program. Its not about the workout, it’s about the lifestyle. Our current condition is the direct result of how we live.You can learn everything there is to know about eating and exercise. But if how you live is overwhelming and exhausting (in more ways than one) and you don’t know how to manage your energy in this relentlessly demanding world, eating well and being active will remain a secondary thought as you press on toward "success". And the price you pay is high.If you want to be healthy and successful, it becomes essential to live a health and performance promoting lifestyle so you have the energy and fitness you want and need not only to succeed, but thrive.I suggest you start considering this idea of "lifestyle" and what it means to you. If you would like to share your thoughts, go ahead and comment on this article; on what you think is the "real cause" behind the health problems we’re collectively experiencing today.In the next three months, all of us at MyTrainer.com are up to something big, and that is a lifestyle solution to dealing with the real problem. We’re going to help you take the steps to solve it with a lifestyle success "formula" (a way to make a complicated subject simple) that you can be successful with, forever. The seven steps high-achieving people take to live, feel and perform better.We are going to help you become a "Healthy High Achiever"™, free of the diet, weight and the increased risk of long term health issues that plague so many people today.With what we have in store for you, you will no longer have to live the fast track and put healthy living on hold. In the "7 Steps" you’ll have the never fail, way to be healthy and successful.If you’re up to big things in your life (building your career, business, family) or are focused on the achievement of a particular goal intended to drive you forward and upward, then you no doubt want to avoid the downward trend.It’s about time that achievers like you and me learn that we are not forced to live on the fast track with healthy living on hold, thinking that poor health, fatigue and an overweight body are the price to pay for success. As many of us are discovering, that price it just too high!Get ready to get masterful around lifestyle. What used to be a vague and pushed aside idea is now becoming the central issue of our time and the difference between those who struggle and those who are truly successful.He teaches the 7 Steps high-achieving people take to promote their health AND success and no longer live on the fast track with healthy living on hold.The Healthy High Achiever™ Lives, Feels and Performs Better.The knowledge products and coaching courses John Allen and the MyTrainer Team deliver are all designed to help you get the Health and High Performance Edge.Thanks to globalization of business, communication technology improvements, longer work hours, and changes in family roles, the idea of maintaining balance in our lives has become more and more elusive. You can’t just have one concept of balance, you need many.Life has become a juggling act: work continues 24 hours a day around the globe. As entrepreneurs, service professionals, and small businesses owners and as players in large corporations; employers can contact employees and customers can contact us, in our cars and even on vacations. The 40-hour work week is now often a 60-hour work week or more.Essentially we’re working all the time, and we take breaks for everything else, from self care and development to family to social time (some of us taking more time than others). We are in a transitional time in the history of mankind, as information technology has sped up the pace of life and competition, not just for adults but kids too. This new reality ensures all of us are faced with relentless demand on our time, space and energy levels, which are the determinants for how we live our lives.Today’s married workers are typically dual-career couples, and of course if our kids are moving at lightening fast speed, that pretty much adds a great deal of stress to us adults who also have our own lives to contend with. It’s bewildering if you stop and actually think about it.The stress of day-to-day life seems to leave little time to improve quality of life and overall fitness and we’re suffering because of it. Today, we are overwhelmed, exhausted and overweight. There are 3 Reasons why:1) TIME, 2) SPACE, 3) ENERGY None of these reasons have anything to do with convincing you or millions of other smart high-achieving people that they need to take care of themselves more, or else...I believe people know this (though most can definitely use a wake up call) and are frustrated that they can’t seem to take care of themselves at a higher level. They know they need to but just can’t seem to make it work. And what are people being told by the fitness industry to do about it? Exercise more!Now, if you’ve just read the preceding, working out, in the traditional sense, can become quite challenging if you are faced with any of the realities I just mentioned and you have a great deal of demand on your time, space and energy.Ask yourself how many times you’ve tried to stick with an exercise program and either thought or said "I fell off the wagon" or "I just couldn’t stick with it" or something like that; you’ll instantly reconnect with how challenging it can be to maintain physical fitness in today’s day and age.Merely "working out" on top of a lifestyle that is not providing the time, space and energy to maintain your fitness, is not going to be a sustainable endeavor; get that!When it seems like you don’t have time or the headspace and you know you don’t have the energy, working out is not very high on your priority list. I too have been faced this many times, and this is exactly what happens. The only answer is a fitness oriented lifestyle which changes the game and your approach and prevents the above situation from really mattering that much...You’ll learn more about this as we proceed together. What I want to inspire you get in this blog post, is this. If you are living one way, and they trying to solve the "overweight condition" or "a lack of fitness" with merely working out, you are missing the boat.I don’t know of anyone who is experiencing overwhelm, exhaustion or (fatigue) and the overweight condition, who is sustainable and successful at "working out" regularly or consistently. And you shouldn’t be thinking you’re any exception. No one can be sustainable at anything, let alone working out, when they don’t have time, space and energy!There is a reason why 9M of the 12M people who have gym memberships, don’t go, and why it seems the majority of people can’t stick to execise programs. Again, they don’t have time, space or the energy to do it. Which bring us to the title of this article, fitness is about the lifestyle first then the workout. Actually, you can live relatively fit, at or near your ideal weight in an active lifestyle that promotes your health and success, and never even really workout!Animals in nature are perfect examples. When is the last time you ever saw a Gorilla workout? They get the results they want as a natural consequence of how they live, not heroic or periodic efforts of exercise to make up for how they are living. Now I’m not saying don’t workout. I workout! The structured "workout" is a function of modern society given we are physically inactive most of the rest of our day as our brains and fingers chug along. We need to set aside time and build it into our day, unless it’s part of how we live, which too is another story.But our current mentality has caused problems. We are living one way and then thinking that merely working out is going to solve our problem; for example, being overweight. This is not a whole or successful approach. First things first; you’ve got to deal with overwhelm and exhaustion if you are ever going to be successful at experiencing fitness on a regular basis.Space and time need also need to be dealt with and then you’ve got to learn how to not "cause" the overweight condition and the cumulative health complications that go with it in a lifestyle that promotes not only your health, but your success!This is why fitness is about your lifestyle first. Working out can be part of your lifestyle, it’s an albeit important but secondary issue. Anyone who is successful, has a lifestyle that first reinforces their success.The insight of the last paragraph is a good thing to know. It’s the reason why lifestyle fitness is the new mindset; in other words living in a way that is always promoting your fitness. But what does that mean, and what does that look like?You’ll find out in the coming weeks!
Merlin Hahn the founder of Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp http://www.FVBootCamp.com where he explains how to avoid living overwhelmed and exhausted. He teaches 7 Steps Achievers Take to promote their health AND success and no longer live on the fast track with health living on hold. The Healthy High Achieve Lives, Feels and Performs Better.. Nutrient Rich is the revolutionary way to eat for optimal health, high performance and natural weight loss and the first dietary transition system with a flexible approach to improving the quality of the food you eat.September 21st, 2006You know it.The first dietary transition system with a approach to helping you improve the quality of the food you eat, for health, higher performance and natural weight loss.The last three weeks were a whirlwind! Sure I slept, and took breaks and exercised, but I was putting out an inordinate amount of energy on top of everything else that was going on, like running the business, family, learning, training and conditioning and my social life, etc.I am careful to make absolute resolutions like "I’m not going to get on my computer once during this time period". I can rarely stick to such proclamations, so I don’t set myself up for hypocrisy.This week, I am focused on rejuvenating, and facing my true energetic condition, so that I don’t carry energy debt forward; it’s not easy sometimes, but best done on a vacation.Anyway, this week formal exercise is not a focus for me, why? Because in the name of my health and ability to perform well, paying back energy debt needs to be my focus. If you’ve ever "hit the wall" and felt like you were in a malaise, on a downward trend, unable to perform at a high level, you know why this is soo important.It’s not like I’m just sitting on my duff all week, my wife is a lighthouse buff, and so after seeing Alcatraz in San Fan, and touring the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, we’ve since seen 9 lighthouses. I think that qualifies for being pretty active.It’s also a time to reboot my desire to work, to train and condition my body and move forward. I enjoy exercising by bike, resistance training and bodyweight training, but this week, besides some basic yoga moves to maintain my alignment and core strength, it’s all about just being active and resting, while I renew my spirit.The "cycling" of how you exercise and switching it up, to take care of high priorities or other matters of maintaining balance in your life are key to the sustainability and success of not only your self care and development but your ability to perform well in the realization of your objectives, goals and vision.August 30th, 2006Adult obesity rates increased in 31 states during the past year, leaving an estimated two-thirds of Americans vulnerable to fatal diseases such as diabetes, stroke and cancer.MyTrainer: Obesity rates are going to continue to climb until we are eating Nutrient Rich diets and have an active lifestyle plan, that we live by and work by.This, despite federal and state government efforts to curb the overweight epidemic, according to a new report from the Trust for North America’s Health.The report, titled F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing America, 2006, was released Tuesday and is the third in a series of annual reports by the trust detailing state obesity rates as well as the effectiveness of government policies to fight the problem.MyTrainer.com: No government policy will ever or could ever "fight" obesity. Health is a personal responsibility. Unless of course, they make exercise a law and ban refined foods, making them illegal and even then it wouldn’t solve the problem.According to official figures, the adult obesity rate rose from 15 percent in 1980 to 32 percent in 2004. Combine that with the number of Americans who are overweight but not obese, and the figure stands at 64 percent. And the childhood obesity rate more than tripled between 1980 and 2004, from 5 percent to 17 percent."The most important news in this report is that the obesity epidemic in America is getting worse," Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America’s Health, said at a Tuesday morning press conference. "The percentage of obese adults exceeds 25 percent in 13 states. That should sound some serious alarm bells."At the root of the epidemic is a combination of poor nutrition and lack of physical activity, MyTrainer: In other words a nutrient poor diet and the lack of a lifestyle plan the report stated. Being either overweight or obese increases the risk for a variety of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.>>>>>> "What’s particularly distressing is that we think we understand why this is happening. It’s happening because the environment is built to promote obesity, and it is so pervasive that in order to make changes, we really need to change everything," said Cathy Nonas, director of the obesity and diabetes programs at North General Hospital in New York City and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.MyTrainer.com: This is the point that MyTrainer is making, your lifestyle has many touch points and we need to address them progressively while we improve how we manage our energy, shift to Nutrient Rich diet, activate and strengthen out bodies.If you are sayint you don’t have time or energy to take care of yourself, this article is talking to you. It’s because your lifestyle is not set up for success!See the 7 Step, Active Lifestyle Plan. Set Your Lifestyle Up for Success!The new report has Mississippi weighing in as the "largest" state, with 29.5 percent of its adult population considered obese. Alabama and West Virginia are second and third with 28.7 percent and 28.6 percent of the adult population, respectively, in the super-size category. Mississippi also has the highest combined level of obese plus overweight adults -- 67.3 percent.Overall, the South is the "Biggest Belt," containing nine of the 10 states with the highest obesity rates. The region is also home to nine of the 10 states with the highest rates of diabetes and hypertension, both of which are associated with obesity.Colorado is the "thinnest" state, with an adult obesity rate of only 16.9 percent. Other "thin" states are in the West and Northeast, including Hawaii (18.2 percent), Massachusetts (18.6 percent), Rhode Island (19.5 percent) and Montana (19.9 percent).Obesity rates remained stable in 18 states plus the District of Columbia.Every single state in the union failed to make enough progress to meet the national goal of reducing adult obesity levels to 15 percent or less by the year 2010, according to the report."The 2004 and 2005 documents reported that there was no strategic policy to address obesity," Levi said. "The 2006 report shows little improvement. While there are innovative promising pilot programs under way in some parts of the country, for the most part, federal and state policies are limited in scope, designed for the short term and woefully underfunded.""It’s a shared responsibility involving individual and society," he added."We believe that all stakeholders must be involved if changes are to take place," said Dr. Jeffrey P. Koplan, vice president for academic affairs at Emory University’s Woodruff Health Science Center, and chairman of the Institute of Medicine Committee on Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity.Among the report’s other findings:The percentage of adults who are obese or overweight exceeds 60 percent in 28 states. West Virginia has the highest rate of type 2 diabetes among adults (10.4 percent) while Alaska has the lowest rate (4.5 percent).Mississippi has the highest rate of adult hypertension (32.7 percent) and Utah the lowest (19.8 percent). Seven states now have body mass index screening requirements in schools. All states except South Dakota have school physical education requirements, while 44 states plus Washington, D.C., have school health education requirements. There is little enforcement capability in either of these cases, however. Seventeen states plus Washington, D.C., have passed taxes on junk food or sodas.Efforts to combat the obesity epidemic have failed to meet their goals, Nonas said. "I don’t think they’re going far enough," she said. "The perfect example of this is the physical-education and health-education requirements, where states have very little ability to enforce it. It’s good that people are doing this, but it’s not enough."The report also offered a 20-step action plan to address the obesity crisis. Recommendations include improved nutritional labeling on foods; community-driven efforts to increase access to healthy foods in low-income areas; improved nutritional content on foods and beverages served and sold in schools; an improved physical environment with more and better sidewalks, parks and bike paths; better physical fitness curricula in schools; and employer-sponsored programs to increase physical activity and provide better insurance coverage for preventive services.A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that being obese in midlife dramatically increases your risk of dying early. People who are overweight when they are 50 have a 20 percent to 40 percent increased risk of dying prematurely. For obese people, the risk of premature death is two to three times that of normal-weight people. The primary causes of death in the group studied were heart disease and cancer.Do you think living in a health-promoting way, developing and maintaining fitness is an optional part of your life? Something that’s better suited for the "health guy" or gal, your trainer or athletes, but not you?Do you reduce the idea of taking care of yourself to merely "getting in shape" from time to time, "working out" every once and a while, or as something for muscle builders or those who need to lose weight?Are you rewarding yourself with "cheat days", to help yourself eat better?These and many more modern concepts of taking care of ourselves are likely not serving you. All subtly imply that living one way and then periodically living better is all you need to live at or near your ideal weight and "healthy"…This is not true. Actually all of the above examples are making your life difficult because the very foundation of our lives, our health, is only being respected some of the time; not enough of the time for there to be a noticeable impact on our energy health and performance levels.Health and fitness professionals therefore spend a good portion of their time, actually convincing, customers and clients who are "caught up" in poor lifestyles, heavily influenced by commercial promoters of products and services that don’t serve them, to take better care of them selves.Does this make sense to you; having to be convinced to take better care of yourself, to live "healthy"? Of course not, this should be the status quo, a given; what is normal and natural.What people don’t know is “how” to live and work in a way that promotes the results they want that is also practical and real world. What they’ve learned is how to promote results outside the context of how they live day to day.There is a big difference between having an active lifestyle plan you can call your own, and merely going on a diet or an exercise program.This Tuesday, let’s discuss this insightful concept as you contemplate taking the 7-Steps you need to take to increase your energy, optimize your health and improve your personal performance.The 7 Step Active Lifestyle Plan, is a proven method; a comprehensive approach to looking, feeling and performing better in a lifestyle you can call your own. If you haven’t alreadyIt’s called, The 3 Lifestyle Blunders That Can Derail Your Ability to Perform Well and Wreck the Way You Look and Feel!Here’s a thought to think about before tomorrow’s Active Lifestyle Teleforum, 12:00 Noon Eastern Time.In the fast-paced, overwhelming world we live in, respecting and promoting your health, fitness and wellness must be a dominant goal in your life and be fully integrated into the way you work and live.If you no longer want to trade your health for success, and be done with ongoing fatigue and an under performing body, join in on the Active Lifestyle Teleforum, tomorrow!
It is of no surprise to me that when I interact with people about developing fitness, the first emotion most people experience, is doubt, skepticism or worry; worry, about whether they can stick with another diet or exercise program or bigger worry still, that it is another demand on their time and they don’t have any time to spare.The reason this is of no surprise is because people have been trained to "stick" with diet and exercise programs for decades with limited success, and they don’t want to waste their time or their money on another failed attempt.Why, the limited success?Here are a few the many reasons:1) How you live doesn’t support the outcomes you want.2) Few can change their lifestyle overnight.2) Fast results are disconnected from the reality of the person’s life, their current condition and capability.3) Dietary tactics are unhealthy and undermine performance for the purpose of delivering a weight loss effect.4) Very little understanding of energy management.5) Going on any program for a temporary period of time to make up for a lifestyle that isn’t serving you is not sustainable.5) The exercise program is seen as THE way to be active and the ONLY way to be active. The concept of an active lifestyle is lost.Fitness needs to be redefined through an active lifestyle.For decades, the concept of "working out" has been five or six days a week of cardio workouts alternated with resistance training workouts, or maybe taking martial arts, yoga or Pilates; all good, but if "working out" is your only concept for being active, you are missing the boat.First of all an active lifestyle, especially in today’s day and age isn’t all about exercising. In order to be active, one must know how to manage stress, increase energy, eat nutrient rich food, and manage their life so that they have the excess capacity to actually be physically active, amidst a relentlessly "busy" schedule.It is also about being physically active in a way that stirs your spirit and inspires you.We’ll be discussing some of these points on our next "Active Lifestyle" teleforum, held on Tuesdays, 12:00 Noon Eastern Time, where we introduce concepts of a comprehensive lifestyle approach to fitness and wellness.Stay tuned to this discussion if you no longer want to trade success for poor health, fatigue and an overweight body and know what to do about it.John Allen Mollenhauer "JAM" is the author of the 7-Step Active Lifestyle Plan™, the most successful way to increase your energy, optimize your health and performance. He is also the founder of the world-class lifestyle fitness coaching system, where clients develop an active lifestyle plan they can call their own.
June 27th, 2006North America has an energy crisis, and it’s not just at the gas pumps. Today’s hectic lifestyle with the stresses of job and home, eating on the run, and lack of healthy exercise drains our energy faster than a Hummer gobbles gas.Doctors report that an increasing number of patients have the same ol’ tired complaints: lethargy, fatigue and exhaustion. After any medical problems are ruled out, such as anemia or thyroid imbalances, it’s time to look at how you can make your life more “fuel efficient."MyTrainer - the two paragraphs above are powerful, we agree wholeheartedly. But lethargy, fatigue and exhaustion are not merely the result of being fuel efficient. It’s about being energy efficient and one needs to understand the difference between vital energy and food energy to become truly energy efficient.We have been sending a similiar message about energy for years and it’s the reason we teach the Energy Regeneration Method as part of the 7 Step Active Lifestyle Plan.Fuel efficient“You need to make sure the body as a whole is at peak functioning capacity,” says Dr. David Leopold, family practitioner and integrative medicine specialist at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. “If you have no energy, then you need to look at what you’re eating, if you’re exercising and what you’re doing for stress. All of these things can make a big difference in your energy level.”MyTrainer - no debate!So, put down that third cup of coffee and review the following energy boosters to help put more pep in your step.MyTrainer - be weary about the phrase "energy boosters". Almost any approach to energy management that is not talking about recuperation at the same time it is talking about boosting your energy, is likely going to fatigue you more, even if it’s a positive stimulant. You’ll learn all about this in the 7 Step Active Lifestyle Plan.Eat healthfully “Food should be energizing.MyTrainer - Actually, food should be fulfilling and refuel your body so that you have the fuel to move forward powerfully, but that’s not the energy people are suffering a lack of today.People shouldn’t feel like they need to rest after a meal,” Leopold says. “We’re eating way too much of the wrong things.” Strive for a balanced diet that should include: Complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) to sustain blood sugar levels and offer an energy boost;MyTrainer - This is accurate in part, but you really want to understand the whole story to get the benefit of this message. These foods mentioned above don’t offer an "energy boost". When was the last time you ate a bowl of brown rice and felt like galloping like a dear? I had a bowl of brown rice last night during dinner and then wanted to go to sleep. Not because of the rice, but because I was rightfully tired at that time of day, and based on the activity of the day.Nutrient Rich foods restore the nutrient reserves in a healthy body after it’s nutrient reserves have been drawn down by activity, and is therefore experiencing hunger. But most people are not suffering from a lack of calories when it comes to energy levels.Lean protein (fish, chicken, lean meats) to help blunt the rise in blood sugar after a meal and aid in extending energy; limited fats (except for the healthy omega-3 fats in fish), especially artery-clogging saturated and trans fats, which can slow down digestion and make you feel sluggish.MyTrainer - the way to blunt a rise in blood sugar (as if that was always a bad thing) is not to eat animal protein. The value of animal protein and whether it’s promoting your health in significant quantities is the subject of another post, but let’s clarify one really important point here.A rise in blood sugar is not always a bad thing. It is for diabetics eating junk food, but not for active people. Look at the foods you are eating that are causing a sharp rise in blood sugar of the wrong kind; refined, nutrient poor foods that are disease causing.Nutrient Rich foods that are health promoting are in some cases high in "natural sugars". They too will create a rise in blood sugar, but this is not a problem, it’s supposed to happen, and these foods promote your health.Just ask any athlete or active person. Blood sugar will naturally come down as you use it, and your body processes the excess blood sugar. Trying to combat a rise in blood sugar by eating animal protein and all that comes with it, is unnecessary and does not promote fuel efficiency anyway.Start moving In some ways, energy is like high finance. To get more, you’ve got to spend more.MyTrainer - this is true in "some" cases only the problem with this statement is this... if exercise is being used as a stimulant at a time when fatigue is present, it’s acting in the same capacity as drinking another cup of coffee.Ever wonder why you’re not in the mood to exercise? It’s not a direct lack of exercise that is causing your lethargic mood (that may be part of the reason). It’s a lack of vital energy, which you can only get from recuperation.Out of balance you stay stuck.Your best energy investment is exercise.MyTrainer- Actually it’s your third best energy investment following a Nutrient Rich eating plan and enough recuperation.“Exercise is key to energy,” Leopold says. “You have to exercise 35 to 45 minutes three or four days a week minimum if you expect to increase energy levels. Exercise teaches the body to build up reserves and use oxygen more efficiently, plus it improves the resting heart rate. The long-term benefits are more energy, and you feel better.”MyTrainer - we agree with this statement in that exercise at these levels is key to looking, feeling and performing better, but it has to be said again, it all depends on where you’re at. For some people, jumping into 45 mins of exercise in a sustainable way, right off the bat to "increase energy", can backfire. Your current condition and other factors have to be taken into consideration.This is why Lifestyle Fitness Coaching with MyTrainer, based on the 7-Step Active Lifestyle Plan is so important. One size fit’s all recommendations, no matter how good they sound, may not be the right lifestyle strategy, right time for you.You don’t have to run a marathon. Walking is great exercise. So is resistance exercise to build muscle, a key component in generating energy. Mind/body exercise, such as yoga or Pilates, incorporates strength, balance and flexibility.“Increased activity can really turn things around,” Fujioka says. “Not only does exercise help you sleep better at night, but it also helps your insulin work better so your blood sugar isn’t fluctuating all over the place.”MyTrainer - Great points.Seek out energy mentors To boost your own internal reserves, spend time with upbeat, optimistic people whose zest for living can be contagious. Negative folks who are overly critical, argumentative, angry or difficult are black holes that devour energy. Try to limit the amount of attention you give them.MyTrainer - great ideas. Hat’s off to the original author!John Allen Mollenhauer "JAM" is the author of the 7-Step Active Lifestyle Plan, the most successful way to improve your health and performance, increase your energy and transform your body. He is also the founder of the world-class lifestyle fitness coaching system,Hi all, here’s an hour long recording touching on a phenomena many people experience; they actually gain weight even though they are exercising more and eating less.
June 8th, 2006Lifestyle has become quite the buzzword lately, but the truth is, it’s still a very misunderstood term.The reason why is simple.The fitness industry, an industry I have been in or around for over 20 years is just coming out of a multi decade period where the model was simple, "eat less and exercise more" and then go on the XYZ program, better yet "stick to" the XYZ program for results.Years have gone by and the ugly truth has reared its head. This is the net effect of the fitness industry for the past 50 years!You can’t just eat less and exercise more and be successful, if you’re eating nutrient poor food and tired. You can’t just go on diet or exercise program and call it a lifestyle!A lifestyle is a far more dynamic, forward moving concept than most people, let alone experts understand or at least talk to when selling their wares.Most people don’t have a successful lifestyle plan and we know this because if you’re living in overwhelm, fatigue and overweight, you are living in way that causing these problems. Fatigue and weight problems then lead to health complications and this is what 80% of the population or more is suffering from.Many people have lots of money and can afford nice things, but that’s not a successful lifestyle at least the way we’re describing it. Wealth is only part of the equation; health, is the net effect of lifestyle.A successful lifestyle is about living in ways that maintain and promote your health, your success and sustainability... that you enjoy.The proliferation of exercise programs or diet programs, the thousands upon thousands that exist, while capable of engaging and inspiring someone into action, don’t actually focus on lifestyle; they focus on temporary actions to manipulate weight or muscle growth, not the whole life steps one wants to take on a regular basis to be a healthy high performing person and never have to worry about going on a diet or exercise program ever again!May 31st, 2006Many people feel that factors influencing health and wellness are out of their control.A recent Gallup poll indicates that 91 percent of adults, state that there are aspects of their lifestyle that they would like to change to increase their quality of life and to improve their overall state of wellness.People want to change their lifestyle’s, to make their lives more enjoyable and to change factors associated to wellness, but unfortunately, many people feel that they do not have personal control.Why do they feel that achieving high level health is out of their control?Well let’s look at some of the reasons:One survey suggests that most lifestyle changes deemed important in our society remain in the realm of fantasies, just beyond realization.Experts have shown that people, who feel that health is beyond personal control, express such ideas as "bad things [illness] can’t happen to me, and good things [wellness] are beyond my reach.What causes this belief system?First and foremost it’s the lack of "enabling skills" that help people follow through with decisions to make changes in behavior.For example: skills such as goal setting, self assessment, self monitoring, self planning, performance skills, coping skills, consumer skills and basic time "action" management.All of these skills enable one to live a healthy lifestyle in a market that reinforces the opposite - overwhelm, fatigue and the overweight condition.Once a person has reached the action or maintenance stages of a lifestyle that is health promoting, its not hard to stay at this higher level of health and performance. That’s the not the problem, it’s getting out of the "matrix" so to speak; out from under the influence of those factors that are reinforcing a lower level of living - a lifestyle that results in poor health and performance.Once you change a behavior and have success, it makes you want to keep doing that behavior. If you fail you may conclude that the behavior didn’t work and give up on it.So planning for success, or as we say here "setting yourself up for success" is vital to healthy lifestyle change.Written by: Merlin Hahn, owner/trainer of West Chicago/Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp. www.FVBootCamp.com. Have questions? Email Meriln at merlin@FVBootCamp.com.

Adventure Boot Camp Come to Fox Valley,Fitness Boot Camp Offers Five Tips to Prevent Broken Fitness Resolutions,Avoid Failure and Frustration

Already in 120 cities in North America this Hugely popular fitness workout from California comes to Fox Valley. This 3 or 5 day a week program gets you in amazing shape quickly and safely. Taught by Certified Personal Trainer Merlin Hahn. May 25, 2007 -- Adventure Boot Camp is offering 5 great tips that will help people stay on their program and get motivated.http://www.FVBootCamp.com/Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-DECORATION: none" false="http://www.FVBootCamp.com/" alt="Link to website">Women and Men must recognize that effective, long-term health and wellness cannot be achieved from a quick fix or " Obesity and poor health is a killer and I'm tired of this killer running around loose and taking over 300,000 lives a year!" says Merlin Hahn, local Fitness trainer, and Owner of the Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp,West Chicago, IL "enough is enough."Here are the tips:
1. Begin Today. Eliminate excuses that prevent the start of your exercise commitment. Too often people make commitments for, "next week," "next month," or the "New Year." There is no time like the present. Go for a walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you started a program in January, but have already fallen off the fitness wagon, start again. Invest in your own health and wellness today.
2. Introduce Variety. Prevent workout boredom by adding a variety of activities to your fitness routine. You are far more likely to stick with your plan if you introduce activities that you enjoy. If you belong to a health and fitness center, take a look at the range of programs and events that are offered.
3. Be Realistic. Being fit and staying fit is a continuous pursuit. Don't place too much pressure on yourself by attempting to do too much too soon, only to end up experiencing frustration and failure. The key is to start slow and increase your intensity over time, not to transform from couch potato to elite athlete overnight.
4. Make Time for Fitness. One of the most daunting barriers to maintaining a regular fitness program is the perceived time commitment. It is important to schedule your workout time just as you would a business meeting or family activity. People make time for the things that are important to them and a fitness program should be no different. Remember to invest in yourself - it pays dividends.
5. Set Short-Term Goals. Determine what you want to accomplish and set a series of challenging, but achievable milestones along the way. Identifying and accomplishing specific goals will help you build confidence as you progress through your fitness program. A personal trainer can be an excellent resource to help determine appropriate goals."Women and Men must recognize that effective, long-term health and wellness cannot be achieved from a quick fix or "magic bullet," found on the TV Infomercials says Merlin Hahn. "It requires a continuous, balanced approach to exercise, proper nutrition and recovery. Not unlike other goals that are worth pursuing, this should be an essential part of your daily life.Optimal health and fitness begins with a reasonable, balanced program. For More Information Contact: Merlin Hahn www.FVBootCamp.com/ for more insights into this topic. Direct line: (630) 640-0467 Other helpful information regarding the this product or service can be found at: www.FVBootCamp.com/

Welcome to Fox Valley Adventure Boot Camp

Women and Men of all fitness levels, sizes and ages are gaining great results with Adventure Boot Camp! You can too! Are you looking for a jump-start to your fitness program? Then this adventure is for you! Whether you are a beginner, an avid fitness enthusiast or just tired of the same routine come try this whole new approach to exercise...fun! Adventure Boot Camp is a four week outdoor fitness program that offers fitness instruction, nutritional counseling and motivational training - packed with fun and energizing activities designed to help you reach your fitness goals. Whether you want to lose weight to fit into that special dress, shed the extra pounds from a pregnancy or just get fit before that special occasion, this is the program for you!